February 2020 - 25

CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT
" Managing pH is hard with so many
different crops, " Cross said. The guide
is available at: https://www.extension.
purdue.edu/extmedia/ho/ho-241-w.pdf
A number of nitrogen sources
are used at the Spirit of Walloon
Market Garden. The rate of release,
ease of application and cost are all
considerations.
Compost is a key component to
promote nitrogen release from nutrient
cycling. " You want composts that
are really easy for microbes to break
down and that help build up their
numbers, " Cross said. " We stock a
number of products and apply a little
of everything. "
" You want composts that
are really easy for
microbes to break down
and that help build up
their numbers. "
− Rachel Cross, Spirit of
Walloon Market Garden
Salad crops are sometimes left to
grow in the hoop houses as a way to
add compost. " Let kale green up after
three cuttings, then mow it down and
work in the organic matter, " Cross said.
The operation runs overhead irrigation once a month, helping on the sandy soils - even
in areas already under drip irrigation. Photo: Spirit of Walloon Market Garden
" This can work - if you have the time
and space. " The farm has used cover
crops to add organic matter but tends
to use compost because of the space
cover crops needs.
The key concept is to stack your
nitrogen sources.
" We assume one-third of the
nitrogen from composts is available in
the first year, " Cross said. Estimate how
much more nitrogen is being released
from the organic matter and add in the
amount applied as fertilizer. Pelletized
feather meal is the main source of
nitrogen fertilizer for soil applications
and can be applied every two to three
weeks if needed.
Then, factor in any nitrogen
applied with split applications
through drip irrigation. " For heavy
feeders, we do split applications, "
Cross said. " Tomatoes need lots of
nitrogen. " The liquid fertilizer rate is
calibrated per 100 feet of row which
means you have to know how much
water is being applied.
The farm grows close to 40 different
crops. Photo: Spirit of Walloon Market
Garden
Landscape fabric is used if liquid
fertilizer is going to be applied. " Fabric
mesh helps manage moisture in the
summer when it gets really hot, "
Cross said. " Evaporation pulls a lot of
nutrients out of the root zone. "
" We run overhead irrigation once a
month and really have a big green up, "
Cross said. The practice helps a lot on
the sandy soils - even in areas already
under drip irrigation. " We do it once a
month in the early morning on a nice
sunny day, " Cross said. VGN
GREENHOUSES
ANY CLIMATE,
ANY CROP
FOR OVER
40 YEARS
GROWSPAN HAS
BEEN HELPING
GROWERS
ENERGY-EFFICIENT DESIGNS
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EXPERT CONSULTATION
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877.835.9996
VGN | FEBRUARY 2020 | 23

https://www.extension http://www.purdue.edu/extmedia/ho/ho-241-w.pdf http://www.growspan.com

February 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2020

February 2020 - 1
February 2020 - 2
February 2020 - 3
February 2020 - 4
February 2020 - 5
February 2020 - 6
February 2020 - 7
February 2020 - 8
February 2020 - 9
February 2020 - 10
February 2020 - 11
February 2020 - 12
February 2020 - 13
February 2020 - 14
February 2020 - 15
February 2020 - 16
February 2020 - 17
February 2020 - 18
February 2020 - 19
February 2020 - 20
February 2020 - 21
February 2020 - 22
February 2020 - 23
February 2020 - 24
February 2020 - 25
February 2020 - 26
February 2020 - 27
February 2020 - 28
February 2020 - 29
February 2020 - 30
February 2020 - 31
February 2020 - 32
February 2020 - 33
February 2020 - 34
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